In Costa Rica, as in all parts of the world, the child population suffers from daily congenital malformations that symbolize a public health problem due to its high prevalence and the psychosocial consequences of children. One of the most frequent is microtia, a malformation of the ear that affects 1 in 5,000 births in the country. This malformation encompasses a broad clinical spectrum of atrial abnormalities that differ in terms of severity, from minor anomalies to the complete absence of the auricular pavilion.
As a result of the situation, Suli is born, a project in collaboration with the Department of Reconstructive Surgery of the National Children's Hospital, which seeks to develop a support tool for doctors who specialize in reconstructive microtia surgeries. This surgery is based on taking cartilage from the ribs of the chest and spitting it out in a structure similar to the ear that is in good condition.
The medical device consists of a kit of surgical guides that allow the doctor to assist in shaping the main parts of the ear in order to implant them surgically in the patient. The main component of the device is a template that arises from a parameterized three-dimensional model, which allows the surgeon to make a precise cut of the cartilage. The objective of the product not only focuses on the final aesthetics of the patient, but also aims to expedite the procedure and reduce operating room costs.
